16 millers not allotted paddy for custom milling in Karnal, Kaithal

Parveen Arora

Karnal, Octotober 2

The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department will not allot paddy for custom milling to 16 rice millers in Karnal and Kaithal districts whose samples of fortified rice kernels (FRK) failed the quality test last season.

These samples were collected by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to check the quality, but they did not meet the food fortification guidelines. Even on re-verification, the samples failed the test, said an official.

Among these rice millers, six are from Karnal and 10 from Kaithal. According to the official, they didn’t even replace the stock or deposit money against the delivered stock.

To manage malnutrition, the Union Government had decided to add micronutrients, iron, folic acid and vitamins in rice. As per the norms, millers are supposed to supply 1kg fortified rice mixed in 100kg custom-milled rice (CMR).

On the other hand, rice millers are not showing much enthusiasm in getting themselves registered for custom milling. So far, over 170 millers have got themselves registered against 305 last year. Millers blamed the custom milling policy for it.

Sourabh Gupta, president, Karnal Rice Millers Association, said the policy was revised multiple times last year, due to which millers could not deliver the CMR on time.

The association president said that the failed FRK samples were not the fault of millers. “The FRK is provided by vendors and fixed by the government. We have no role in the manufacturing of fortified rice. Our only duty is to mix it,” he said, adding that the government should make trader-friendly policy.

Failed fortified rice samples

• These millers’ samples of fortified rice kernels (FRK) had failed the quality test last season
• Even on re-verification, the samples failed the test, said an official
• The official alleged that these rice millers did not even replace the stock or deposit money against the delivered stock